Under the Grave Eclipse (Golden Sun)
by paybackflask
Summary: just a collection of one shots of scenes that I really wanted to expand the story on; there will be a main story thread connection them all together (not telling yet...); Follow Matthew and his group on their journey to undo the Grave Eclipse. Themes include: Paithos' sickness, Briggs' death, Sveta and Volecheks relationship, Ryu Kou and Hou Ju at Snowdrift Shrine, Takeru and Himi,


They visited Ayuthay sometime after Matthew's group had fled Belinsk.

Eoleo agreed since he was keen on visiting Champa to have a quick check-in with his people (and Obaba, although the death of his father loomed over Eoleo like the darkness over the mainland). So they sailed south for a few days. Always keeping to the light there were practically no monsters encountered (although Tyrell had an interesting encounter with a very lively squid). But none of the passengers of the Lemurian ship were truly in high spirits. Happy moments were as fleeting as the constant wind brushing past.

They were truly lucky, Matthew found bitterly. There were people dying while the little group travelled the almost unbothered by anyone. As safe as they were now, Matthew couldn't help but watch his group break apart from the inside. Karis and Tyrell had gone as quiet as Matthew himself – they simply didn't want to upset Amiti and Sveta who had both lost so much. Himi had stayed quiet as well – he figured it was either because her home wasn't in danger or because she was simply so much younger than them. Rief and Kraden buried themselves in what little books they had brought along (although Matthew noticed that the blue haired adept had spent much of his time reading the chronicles retelling the events of their parent's adventures as if to calm himself).

The soon to be queen of Morgal hid for a few days barely talking to anyone. Matthew had helped her as much as he could but he simply couldn't relate to her fear for her people. Yes, he understood what she feared – he himself just wanted to know if his parents were okay (he even sent one of Kraden's pigeons out a few days ago) – but Sveta had a kingdom to return to. A kingdom that was currently dying.  
Amiti, on the other hand, was much more openly uneasy. '_The people of Ayuthay are safe underground_', he kept telling himself while standing on the ship. But these words couldn't shake the grim look on the prince's face. They all had witnessed the destructive force of the monsters underneath Luna's veil. They were faster, stronger and even the trained adepts had barely fled from them. Without the ship the adepts would've been as lost as the people of Belinsk.

Matthew shuddered thinking back. He remembered the black sky that had sunken onto the land and the blood of – _No_. He stopped himself. There had simply been too many monsters, grasping for the adepts and trying to tear apart their flesh. The people on the streets were gone, yet the adept still felt that pang of guilt in his chest._ We could have at least tried to save them_.  
The dark voice in his head spoke without malice but also without care for Matthew's thoughts.'_All of you and my sister would have ended dead on the streets just like them_'. If Matthew squinted enough, he could almost see the shape of the fallen king beside him in his shadow. Rearing. Waiting.  
Matthew would have asked _Why me? Why are you still here?_ But then the ship pierced into the dark to land near Ayuthay and the Venus adept shook himself from his thoughts.

The lake before Ayuthay had been turned into a grave. There were partly torn bodies in and out of the water and Sveta used her Spirit Sense on a few of them to direct their last thoughts to Matthew. After a few bodies she stopped and no one complained. Matthew's footsteps were eerily silent against the grass as he avoided to step onto any remainders of the soldiers. Matthew felt glad that he only brought Amiti, Sveta and Tyrell along with him.

"Can you take us over the lake?", he asked with a toned down voice and the beastwoman nodded silently, beckoning them all on the small raft before conjuring up enough wind. The first time they had visited Ayuthay, Matthew remembered, Karis had basically catapulted them across the lake. Tyrell had laughed and Rief had smiled politely with a slight green tinge on his cheeks. This time around they were all silently staring ahead.

Amiti left the raft first and even though he seemed like he wanted to compose himself he half ran up to the entrance to his kingdom. He then knocked. Matthew held his breath.

"Who's there?", a voice demanded after a few seconds of silence. No one bothered to look out to the visitors. Matthew couldn't blame them.

"You can open the door. I must see my uncle", Amiti reassured calmly but urgently. His fist was wound tightly against the heft of his rapier. The prince held his head high as the door was moved open. He didn't bother much long with the surprised guards. Matthew took a look behind them and ushered Tyrell and Sveta inside as well, before following the prince.

Then they stood in the inn where Paithos was laying and Matthew was once again at a loss for words. Even his thoughts had dulled down to a hum as he watched his friend sink to his knees. Paithos was dying. Matthew just knew. He had accompanied his mother once when he was very little and still lived in Kalay and he had learned what a dying person looked  
"Uncle", Amiti asked grimly, his hand now curled around the king's hand, as tightly as before. "You're going to be fine, Uncle Pait. And you know that I cannot fully return to Ayuthay yet. I…We have to stop the Grave Eclipse"  
"And I will wait until then", his uncle answered, voice silent and pressed with an unspoken promise. _'You will be king, Amiti'_. His skin was chalky white and he had been dressed in simpler and warmer clothes. His hands were shaking none the less.  
"Uncle…", Amiti found himself at a loss for words. "Our people need you", he then pleaded. "Even after I'm returned, they will need you. I will need you"

Matthew, standing only in the entrance of the inn, felt ill. Tyrell and Sveta waited outside, while the Earth adept had hoped to provide some comfort for the Water adept by joining him inside. Even from where he was standing he could see Amiti's tears. So he closed his eyes, wrestling with the lump in his throat, but was greeted by the same imagery as before him. Amiti, distraught over his uncle's death, now the rightful ruler of Ayuthay. br /The shadow in the back of his mind rolled its eyes. _'He must learn that he is a tool to his people's wellbeing. A ruler must always be cruel in his decision-making, or his people will die at his hands'_. For a moment Matthew was distracted from the scene in front of him._ Is that what drove you to activate the Luna tower?_  
The shadow fell silent and Matthew opened his eyes again to step outside of the inn.

They stayed overnight since the ship and the rest of the group stayed in the camp just outside of Champa. Amiti did not return until the morning when Matthew, Tyrell and Sveta rose from their make-shift camp. While Tyrell took in his breakfast with great motivation, Matthew noticed Sveta's gaze. Was she comparing her own situation to Amiti's? Or was she simply mourning her brother? The Earth adept didn't know and, at least for a moment, he wished he could take both of his friends' burdens. _This world has been cruel to you and it's far from being done._

"We will stop the Grave Eclipse and I will return to Ayuthay", Amiti promised to the guards before they locked the gate again. Even though tired, the prince looked determined. There was still the underlying sadness in his eyes but also the thirst to end the eclipse. If the prince had been sad and silent on their way to Ayuthay, he was now invigorated and with a clear goal in mind.

As they were waiting by the beach for the nearing ship Matthew was taken to the side by Amiti.  
"Thank you, Matthew", he simply begun, his head bowed in respect until Matthew touched his shoulder softly. Their eyes met. "I mean it", the prince repeated.  
The Earth adept shook his head. "You could've easily stayed with your people just then, Amiti. But you chose to come with us again. I should thank you". The blue-haired prince drew his lips into a thin smile at Matthew's voice.  
Just then Eoleo's ship came to a halt – ready to take in the blue-haired prince again - with its mercury blue sails fighting the darkness.


End file.
